Rotating Docking Assembly for Wear-Free Electrical Contacts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing docking systems for electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and RFID devices, often result in poor electrical contact and rapid wear of connections due to relative motion during docking and undocking.

Innovation Solution

A docking system featuring a first assembly with stationary electrical connections and a second assembly with a rotatable turntable, where the turntable includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) that rotates with the base, maintaining electrical communication through pogo pins or contact pads, and a frame with guiding grooves and snap features for secure coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If existing docking systems allow the PDA to be easily attached to and detached from the RFID device, then the ease of operation is improved, but the electrical contact quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of attachment and detachmentVSAvoidelectrical contact quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having the electrical connections move during docking/undocking operations, the patent inverts the approach by making the electrical connections stationary and allowing the turntable with the PDA to rotate into position. This inversion resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable electrical contact while still enabling easy attachment and detachment through rotational movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a turntable as an intermediary component between the RFID device base and the PDA. The turntable rotates to bring the PDA into docking position with the base, mediating the connection process. This allows the electrical connections to remain stationary on both the base and turntable while still enabling easy attachment and detachment through the rotational motion of the turntable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If existing docking systems allow docking and undocking with relative motion between electrical connections, then the ease of operation is improved, but the durability of electrical connections deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking and undocking operationVSAvoiddurability of electrical connections

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional docking approach by making the electrical connections stationary on both the base and turntable, rather than having them move relative to each other during docking/undocking. The turntable rotates as a whole unit to bring the PDA into position, keeping the electrical contact points fixed. This inversion eliminates wear from relative motion while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the relative motion from the electrical connection interface by separating the rotational motion of the turntable from the electrical contact points. The turntable rotates to achieve docking, but the electrical connections themselves remain stationary and do not experience wear from relative motion, thus extracting the harmful motion from the connection interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the turntable rotates during docking operations, then the adaptability of the system is improved, but the stability of electrical connections deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotational positioning capabilityVSAvoidelectrical connection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The turntable serves as an intermediary that rotates to provide adaptability and rotational positioning capability, while the electrical connections on both the base and turntable remain stationary during rotation. This mediation allows the system to be adaptable through turntable rotation while maintaining stable electrical connections that do not experience stress from rotational motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the electrical connections rotate or move during docking operations, the patent inverts the approach by making the electrical connections stationary and allowing the turntable to rotate. This inversion enables the system to maintain electrical connection stability while still achieving adaptability through the rotational positioning of the turntable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20240353897A1Docking system for an electronic device assembly

Publication Date: 2024.10.24 HAND HELD PRODS INC

AI summary

A docking system for an electronic device assembly is provided. The docking system can include a first assembly and a second assembly. The first assembly can include a base and a first plurality of electrical connections that extend through the base. The second assembly can be configured to be removably coupled to the first assembly. The second assembly can include a turntable that is configured to rotate from a first position to a second position, a second plurality of electrical connections that extend through the turntable, and an electronic assembly that includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) that is coupled to the turntable such that the PCBA is rotatable with the turntable.